Guard fence



Oct. 24, 1933. A. K. PEHRsoN GUARD FENCE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 9, 19152 m. n ma tow-MT INVENTOI/l/WM A ORNEY Oct. 24, 1933. A. K. PEHRsoN GUARD FENCE Filed Feb. 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M BY c' l A 'l ORNEY Patented Dct. 24, 1933 iran srArEs GUARD FENCE Alfred K. Pehrson, Bellevue, Pa., assigner to Pressed Steel Car Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 9, 1932. Serial No. 591,784

14 Claims.

My invention pertains primarily to such fences as are placed upon bridges to aiord protection for pedestrians and also to prevent vehicles from running over the edges of such bridges. It is contemplated that my invention can be used upon other guard fences where the same or similar problems are encountered as in placing such fences on bridges.

Guard fences of this nature must provide for Variations in the length ofthe bridge or other supporting structure caused by changes in temperature. At one or more places on the bridge, expansion joints are provided depending upon the design of the bridge. The total movement between the adjacent ends of the bridge at the expansion joint is considerable and the guard fence must provide for this.

In these days of high speed vehicular movement over highways and bridges these guard fences must be made strong enough to prevent the Vehian expansion joint which will distribute the movement between the posts and rails at the joint so as to maintain a sightly appearance in the fence at the joint.

As illustrated in the drawings, Fig. 1 shows in elevation a portion of a guard fence and anV expansion joint of a bridge upon which bridge the fence is mounted; Fig. 2 shows in enlarged detail the tie between the rail ends adjacent the expansion joint; Fig. 3 is a section taken along the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows a modica tion of my invention in' which a two piece post is used; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the tie between the adjacent rail ends and two piece post; Fig. 6 is a section of the expansion post taken along the lines 8 6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a modificar posts 1. The spaces between the rails are preferablyiilled by panels 8 which are of any desired shape and are secured thereto in any suitable. manner. The ends of the rails disposed on opposite sides ofthe post are tied together by a bolt 9 or other suitable tie and the ends of the bolt 9 are anchored in the rail ends. The fence thus far described is similar to that shown and described in a pending application ofLuther L. Knox, Serial No. 558,225, iiled August 20, 1931..

The bridge oor 10 to which the fence is secured has an expansion joint l1 therein which provides for variations in the length of the bridge due to temperature changes. vThe fence is so disposed upon the bridge floor 10 that a post 1a is mounted on each side of the expansion joint and the rails 2a, 3a and 4a between such posts are spaced from the post to provide for variations in the post spacing as the parts 10a and 10b of the bridge move towards or away from each other.

It will be readily apparent Vto those skilled inv the art that any number of expansion joints may be used in constructing the bridge depending upon the design of the supports therefor. In the event that the expansion joints are placed at the ends of the bridge the part 10a could be the end of the roadway adjacent the ends of the bridge and 10b the ends of the bridge. Thus the herein described invention is adaptable to meet any type of bridge or equivalent structure on which'the fence is mounted and where expansion must be taken care of at-certain spaced points instead of being distributed throughoutV the length of the fence.

In assembling the fence'the postsl are anchored upon the supporting structure and the rails 2, 3 `and 4 with their attached panels 8 are mounted between the posts upon the lugs 5, 6 and '7. The tie rods 9 are inserted through the members 12 secured'adjacent the ends oi the rail and extending transversely thereof and then through the posts 1. Spring washers are placed upon the ends of the tie rods 9 and nuts are placed on the ends of the rods adjacent the lock washers securing the tie in place in the post and anchoring it between the members 12. It will be noted from the drawing that the ends of the lrails 2, 3 and 4' stop short of the posts 1 and the members 12 within ythe'rail ends are spaced from the lugs 5, 6 and '7. This spacing permits expansion of the individual 'rails between the posts which is very slight vand the lock washers keep the joint tight thus preventing rattling as the bridge vibrates under traffic.

At the twov posts adjacent the expansion joint 11 where the spacing of the vpost 1a will vary considerably provision must be made for the changes both in the relation between the posts and rails and between the tie rods, the posts and rails. As regards the rails let us assume the expansion joint 11 is designed to provide a 2 expansion and a 2 contraction from the normal position as shown in Fig. l. This means the posts 1a will move towards each other a maximum of 2" from the normal position during the maximum expected rise in temperature and will be separated an additional maximum of 2 from normal during the extremely low temperatures. Obviously the posts 1a and adjacent posts l on the portion l0 and l()b of the supporting structure will move as a unit with this portion so that there will be relatively little movement between these posts and the adjacent rail ends In the above premise the ends of the rails 2e, 3a and 4a are spaced from the posts 1a a minimum of l and the ends of the lugs 5e, 6a and 7e extend within the ends of such rails a distance greater than l" so that when the posts are separated their maximum distance the rails will still be supported upon the lugs and when the posts move towards each other, the minimum distance between the posts will be slightly greater than the length of thev rails to prevent distortion of the rails and posts. "The members 12 secured within the rails adjacent the ends thereof and extend ing transversely of the rails are preferably spaced so that the lugs on the posts will not engage with them 'at any time. The tie rods 9n are of suicient length to accommodate movement of the postsV and to permit the springs 13 or other resilient means to be mounted thereon between the nuts at the ends of the rods and the mem-- bers 12 of the rails. VThese springs 13 are of such length that when the posts 1a have separated their maximum possibie distance, the

springs have not compressed their maximum amount and when the posts 1=L are moved towards eachv other so that the minimum spacing is obtained there remains some tension in the springs. The springs are preferably made relatively stiff so that during the time the bridge is in normal position 'considerable pressure is exerted upon the tie rods and members i2. This pressure will tend to prevent binding at any one of the posts and maintain the rails spaced equally from the posts and improve the appearance of the fence. The resulting actionof the springs, which it will be observed are opposed to each other, maintains the rails and attached panels under pressure so that that portion ofV the fence literally floats upon their supporting lugs secured on the adjacent sides of the posts 1% Y From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a guard fence has been provided which comprises rails secured together independently of the supporting posts and which pro-- vides for expansionV at the joints between the fence at Vopposite sides of the expansion joints in the supporting structure. Further, by use of the springs the appearance of the fence at the joint is preserved by maintaining the rails equally spaced between the supporting posts as well as maintaining tight connections at each end of the rail and adjacent posts to prevent rattling when the bridge vibrates from traino.

Referring now to f1 to 8 inciusive of the drawings, it will be noted that vthe fence and supporting structure are in all respects similar to that shown in the preceding gures of the drawings excepting that all of the movement of the bridge at the expansion joint is taken up by an expansion post l5 which is functionally two posts, one mounted on each of the adjacent ends of bridge at the expansion joint and each hav-- ing one end of the fence mounted thereon. Tie rods 1li similar to those of the previously described fence are passed through both of the portions l-Sa and 15b of the expansion post 15 and the ends of the rod le are secured within the rails 2, 3 and 4 on the opposite sides of the post l5. A. spring 19 is mounted upon one end of the tie rod 14 adjacent the members 12 of the rails so that as the portions 15a and 15b of the post separate during movement or" the portions 1Da and 10' of the bridge the effective length of the tie rods le is increased to accommodate such movement. Referring to Fig. Ll of the drawings it will be noted that the ends of the rails are against the outer faces of the expansion post while la small. amount of clearance is allowed between the other ends of the rails and the posts l secured to the portion 10a of the bridge. iously stated the expansion post 15 is functionally two posts, the portion 15b and attached fence moving as a unit with the portion l0a oi the brides and the portion Ii5nu and attached fence moving as a unit with the portion 10b oi the bridge. ln order to maintain the appearance of the post at the expansion joint the portion 15a may be provided with a portion 15C which eX- tends between the portions of the 15b a suiicient distance with the p Y so to give the appearance at all ti .ies of a single post as the portions 15CL and l5b move to wards or -away from each other. This portion 15c can be made as an integral part of the portion l5a oi the post or can be made a separate part and secured to the portion 15a. rihese forms are better shown by reference to Figs. 6 and 8 of drawings which are takenralong thev 6-6 and 8 8 of Figs. e and 7 respectively. In 8 the portion 15a f the post has a removable plate 15d which provides access to the interior of the post if, for any reason, such should be necessary.

As stated before since the fence and posts cured to the portion l()a of the bridge moves as a unit and the fence and posts secured to the portion lb of the bridge moves as a unit it is only necessary that the spring 16 have suiiicient movement to accommodate the maximum moveent between the portions 15a and 15b of the posts. The springs providing for the variations in the eiective length of the tie rods V11 and servingat the same time to maintain a right joint between the portions 15a and 15b or" the post and their attached rail ends. Y i

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a guard. fence comprising aplurality of spaced posts, connecting rails supported on said posts, an independent tie connecting adjacent ends of said rails, an expansion joint between wo of said posts Vand means on the adjacent rail ties permitting movement between said latter posts and the rail between them. Y

2. In a guard fence having two adjacent posts variably spaced apart to provide for longitudinal changes in length of the fence due to temperature changes, guard rails between thetwo said posts and of less length than the minimum spacing of the posts, a connection between the ends of saidrail and said posts, and means associated with each connection resiliently urging said rail toward said post.

3. In a guard fence, spaced posts, guard rails supported by said posts and extending therebe-v tween, a connecting member extending through each of said posts and extending beyond each side thereof, said member having the ends thereof removably secured within the ends of the adjacent rails, the rails between two of said posts being of a length substantially less than the space between said posts and the ends of the member extending' within said rails having resilient means between the ends of the member and the means securing same within the rail.

4. In a guard fence spaced posts, rails extending between said posts and supported thereby, a tie extending through said posts and anchored in the adjacent ends of said rails, one of said posts being divided longitudinally for movement longitudinally of said fence, and resilientmeans at one end of said ties to permit movement of said posts.

5. In a guard fence in combination a post, rails on opposite sides of said posts, a tie passing through said posts and having its ends secured in said rails, means on said post providing expansive movement transversely thereof and means on said tie providing for the movement in said post.

6. In a guard fence a series of posts, rails extending between said posts, a tie securing together adjacent ends of said rails independently of said posts, one of said posts being in two portions movable in a horizontal direction with relation to each other, a coil spring encircling one end of said tie adjacent said post.

7. In a guard fence in combination, a post having an expansion joint extending longitudinally thereof, guard rails having adjacent ends supported by said post, transverse members secured within said rails adjacent said post, a tie member passing through said post and transverse members, stops on the ends of said members and resilient means on said tie member between one end thereof and the adjacent transverse member of the rail.V

8. In a guard fence in combination, a pair of fence posts mounted ladjacent each other, railings secured to the oppositely disposed sides of said posts, a connecting member secured within said railing and extending transversely of said guard rails extending between and supported by l 'said'posts an expansion joint in said fence permitting relative movement of two of said posts and its connecting rails, and resilient means operatively associated with said rails and posts for centering said rails between said posts during all y spacing of the posts.

11. In a guard fence, in combination, spaced posts, rails connecting said posts and supported thereon, a member connected to adjacent ends of said rails on opposite sides of the posts and resilient means operatively associatedl with said member providing for variations in the length of said fence during temperature changes.

12. In a guard fence, in combination, spaced posts, guard rails between and supported on said posts, a member extending through said posts with its ends anchored in the rails on opposite sides of the posts and resilient means operatively associated with one of the members so as to permit variations in the length of said fence under temperature changes.

13. In a guard fence comprising spaced posts,

guard rails extending between and supported on said posts, an independent tie connecting the rails on opposite sides of said posts, an expansion joint providing variable spacing between two of said posts and resilient means between the rail and ties connecting said latter two posts.

14. In a guard Vfence comprising a plurality ofr 

